Read Love Always, Damian for Free Online

he has changed.
    Only one way to find out.
    I sigh into the phone.
    “I’ll call you later,” I tell him, peering up at the house again.
    “He deserves to hear it from you,” he assures me. “You’re doing the right thing.”
    “I hope so. Bye, Blake.”
    I press end and take a deep, cleansing breath, keeping my gaze focused on the front door. Damian is expecting me, and I’m technically five minutes late. Even so, I sit in my car a little longer, debating with myself again.
    What if…
    In the back of my mind, I’m convinced I should turn around and go back to my parents’ house. Call my professor and see if there’s another study I can participate in closer to Tallahassee. Even Miami would work.
    Yeah, that’s totally what I should do.
    But…
    Three words: Great. Barrier. Reef.
    I sigh for the millionth time. Let’s just see how the morning goes.
     
    ~*~
     
    I hike the strap of my purse over my shoulder and cross the yard to the front porch. After four years away, the prospect of seeing the man I fell in love with has my heart thumping wildly in my chest. I’d like to say it’s nerves over what we need to discuss—if it gets to that—but I’ve always been a terrible liar.
    It’s more than that.
    I should have checked my makeup and hair in the car before I got out. Now, my only option is to comb through it with my fingers and hope for the best. For the most part, I look the same as I did the last time we saw each other. Same long, blonde hair that I curl with the fattest curling iron available. Same arched eyebrows, thick lashes, and pale blue eyes. The biggest difference is in my hips, boobs, and thighs. They’ve filled out since then, and I find myself worrying what Damian will think.
    Ridiculous, yet…ugh.
    Here goes nothing.
    I raise my hand and press the doorbell. Taking a step back, I stare at the door, wondering if my heart will ever slow down.
    And then it opens.
    Standing there in a t-shirt and mesh basketball pants is… Dylan Aoki ? Damn, I haven’t seen him in forever. Well, since Liam’s funeral.
    Dude hasn’t changed much. Dark almond shaped eyes and pitch black hair that sticks up on top. He used to tip the ends, but not so much anymore.
    “Elizabeth? Elizabeth Van Zee?” he says, smiling.
    I nod. “Yeah. How’ve you been?”
    He opens the screen door for me and ushers me inside. “Good. What’re you doing here?”
    “I, uh, I’m supposed to be meeting with Damian this morning. Does he—” I scan the living room for traces of leftover immaturity—“live here?”
    Dylan breathes out a laugh. “We’re roommates.”
    Ah, that makes sense. Like Liam with Dylan’s older brother, Damian and Dylan had been best friends before the accident. I’m glad they seem to have reconnected after Kate’s funeral.
    Then, suddenly, Dylan frowns. “Um, he was expecting you?”
    “Yeah, I mean, that’s what I thought from our phone conversation yesterday. Is he not home?”
    Dylan scratches his head while twisting around to look behind him. “Uh…” He drops his hand and turns back to me. “Yeah, he’s home. I’ll go get him. You can sit if you like,” he says, motioning to the sofa before rounding the corner into the hallway beside it.
    O—kay.
    I sit on the edge of the cushion and hear Dylan knocking on a door.
    “Hey man,” he says. “Elizabeth Van Zee is here to see you.”
    There’s some inaudible grumbling and quick shuffling around. Then I hear the soft click of the door as it opens, and Damian’s voice filters into the living room even though he’s speaking low to Dylan.
    “Shit, man. I’ll be right out. Keep her busy or something.”
    Not a good sign. What little hope I had is rapidly diminishing.
    Dylan comes back in, and I smile at him as if I’d heard nothing.
    “He’ll be out in a minute. Can I get you something to drink?” he asks.
    “Oh, no thanks. I’m fine.”
    Dylan takes a seat in an armchair. “I heard you moved to, like, Florida or